Perry appears to be building finances toward run for guv in 2014

Perry has raised $1.9 million from the start of the year through June.

AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry has quietly replenished his depleted campaign war chest since he abandoned his presidential bid in January, fueling speculation that the longest-serving governor in Texas history will seek yet another term in 2014.

Perry raised $1.9 million from the start of the year through June — convincing donors to keep writing big checks even after a series of gaffes during his White House run left his political future looking murky.

His political committee, Texans for Rick Perry, now has about $3.3 million cash-on-hand.

This exceeds the $2.9 million he had midway through 2008, two years before he waged a nasty but successful battle during the Republican gubernatorial primary against U.S. Sen.

Kay Bailey Hutchison, then bested Democrat Bill White in the general election.

"He must be raising a lot of money for something," said Scott Caven, a Houston banker who was finance director for Perry's gubernatorial campaigns in 2002 and 2006 but later resigned because he didn't agree with the governor's decision to seek a third full term.

Already America's longest-sitting governor, the 64-year-old Perry has been in office since George W. Bush left for the White House in December 2000.

He has not officially announced he will run again. But those who have attended Perry fundraisers say he's been assuring donors for months that he will. Some believe him; others say the governor is simply rattling his political sabers.

That's because it has been a rough year for Perry, who just 12 months ago was the toast of conservatives everywhere when he strapped on his signature cowboy boots, strode into the Republican presidential race and became an almost overnight front-runner. His campaign flamed out with almost equal speed, however, free-falling after Perry muttering "oops" during a November debate, when he couldn't remember the third federal agency he promised to eliminate if elected.

Back in Texas, Perry campaigned for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who poured more than $20 million of his own money into a Republican primary battle for the U.S. Senate with Tea Party favorite and former Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Dewhurst lost by 13 percentage points during last month's runoff, raising questions about whether the state has now moved too far to the right for Perry and the rest of the Texas GOP establishment.

Asked if Perry is no longer conservative enough for Tea Party activists — and if that could hurt his fundraising efforts — Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said simply, "No and no."

Texans for Public Justice, a state campaign finance watchdog group that frequently clashes with the governor, has long dubbed Perry the top fundraiser in Texas politics.

The group said he remains so despite his stumbles in the presidential race and with Dewhurst.

"There's a Perry machine in this state that reflects his unprecedented longevity," said research director Andrew Wheat. "He has the power and money flows to power."